Chapter Text
Horus
Horus knew something was wrong when Seth walked up to the strange human at the dojo. Mostly, the humans who entered the building were quite normal, and Horus wasn’t worried about Seth protecting himself. But there was something particularly off about this man. Some odd aura he didn’t recognize, and his intuition was warning him about it.
Horus flew out an open window and into an alley to shapeshift into his humanoid form and quickly walked up to the building’s entrance, pushing through the crowd. He was worried about Seth.
Thousands of years on the sun boat and Seth’s own experience as a war god likely prepared him for confrontation, but he hadn’t been attacked while under Horus’ protection. And Horus meant to keep it that way.
He was in time to see Seth still standing with the stranger, eying him with a frown. Seth’s posture was generally neutral, allowing him easy maneuverability to fight if necessary.
“Perhaps we could get a bite to eat?” the human said as Horus walked up.
“Or we could talk here,” Horus said, his gaze hard. He walked over to stand beside Seth, daring the human to try something.
The human looked at him sharply. He seemed irritated at Horus’ interference, which was good.
The entryway was mostly cleared out, with parents ushering the last of the children home.
Seth glanced at Horus before meeting the human’s gaze again. “This is my friend, Horus. Horus, this is Kuentamen. And I think I’ll stick with Horus’ suggestion, Kuentamen.”
“What I have to say is… better for fewer ears,” Kuentamen continued, meeting Seth’s gaze with a warm smile. He was trying to butter Seth up, and just ended up sounding off-putting.
“You’re not selling yourself very well,” Seth said, clearly unimpressed. “I think you should leave.”
Kuentamen chuckled and said, “I can’t exactly do that, particularly now that I’ve approached you.”
“And what do you expect will happen?” Seth asked, raising his right eyebrow as he did. “Whatever you are, you’re still weaker than I am. This encounter doesn’t go well for you if you stay.”
Horus glanced at the last of the humans walking out, leaving the area empty. He used a spell Isis had taught him that would encourage humans to stay clear of the area for a while. A security guard by one wall walked into another room, leaving them alone. The spell would also make any cameras go haywire for a while.
“Things don’t go well for me if I leave, either,” Kuentamen said, looking somewhat regretful. “I was told to offer you an out from your current arrangement. Freedom from being beholden to Horus, who holds your chains.” He glanced at Horus with a slight look of disdain.
Horus gazed back, unsure what the human was trying to do. Did he think he could stand up to the ruler of the gods?
Seth’s gaze narrowed at Kuentamen. “And who told you that?”
“Osiris,” Kuentamen said with a smile. “I believe you know him.”
The air grew heavier as Seth’s gaze grew sharper. “You’re one of his underlings?” The hard floor near his feet cracked.
“Unwillingly,” Kuentamen said with a laugh. “I died years ago, and he preserved my corpse for his experiments. I was one of the few he’s ever been able to revive. But with you trapped on the sun boat, he was never able to properly put me to use, other than spying on his son’s court.”
“He can’t revive the dead,” Seth said, voicing one of Horus’ thoughts. “He’s tried.”
“He can create a form of half-life,” Kuentamen acknowledged. “And so I am.” He shrugged.
“I’ve never seen you before,” Horus said, studying the man closer now. He knew many gods sent spies to gauge Horus’ actions, and perhaps even to try to influence him. They failed when Horus or Isis intervened. But they’d have sensed something like the abomination before them.
“I am decently good at what I do,” Kuentamen said with a laugh. “In life I served as a high priest for Seth’s temple in Heliopolis. A role I was neither born nor raised for. So I know how to find my way through the channels of power. Who to bribe. Who to sweet talk. But I wasn’t put to much use before Osiris took me back. It’s the only reason I’ve been around so long.”
“You’d have to be thousands of years old,” Horus said, skeptically. “Osiris can control life in that way but… I’ve never heard of him doing that with a human.” Isis had discussed how she’d revived Osiris for Horus’ birth, a process that still bewildered her in some ways. She’d spoken of Osiris’ powers, as well, at least what she understood of them. Granting immortality wasn’t among them, or else Osiris would have likely returned from Duat ages ago.
“He is ambitious,” Kuentamen said with a shrug. “And he doesn’t let people get in his way.”
“He’s pig-headed,” Seth insisted. “And desperate. I have no interest in his deals.”
Horus didn’t like that the abomination was here. He wanted to get Seth home, away from Osiris’ schemes. He couldn’t imagine what it was like to finally escape fighting Osiris for ages, only to have him here, too, where he shouldn’t be.
Kuentamen glanced at Horus again, who said, “If Osiris wishes to interfere with Maat’s judgment, he is a fool.”
“I am only a messenger,” Kuentamen said with a shrug. “But leaving without Seth won’t go well for me.” He looked back at Seth, and his expression softened. “I say this as your former servant, and one who wished to one day meet you… Osiris has given me a weapon which can harm even you.”
Seth reached out to form a black sand khopesh in his right hand. “And you’re telling me this because you think I’ll spare you?” His voice was deadly, and he looked like he might chop up Kuentamen right there.
Horus supported that. And was tempted to do it for him. The undead human would be dead again, regardless. Though he wondered if Osiris had other schemes up his sleeve, and why he’d waited so long to act.
“I tell you because I have spent thousands of years hating my role,” Kuentamen said. “And Osiris is not as powerful as he thinks. Which you both know.” He reached into his robes.
Horus summoned wind, buffeting the man back from them both, even as thick green vines burst from the man’s clothing.
Seth lashed out with his sharp khopesh, slicing the vines apart and spraying green ichor everywhere, which burned the ground like acid.
The ground rumbled, and windows cracked.
Horus hoped his spell held, and any humans outside stayed away.
“Seth…” A thick voice said from the vines crawling over what had been Kuentamen, who was no longer visible. “Come to me. You don’t belong here.”
“I’m perfectly happy here,” Seth said as he cut apart more of the vines reaching for him. “You can fuck off!”
“You belong with me!” Osiris said as vines smashed into the floor and ceiling, making dust fall from the air. “Now that you’re free from Ra’s control, you can go to where you should be!”
He sounds so pathetically desperate, Horus thought as he sliced through vines reaching for him. He’d never been close with his father, but he’d never really seen the man like this.
He was glad his mother wasn’t here for it.
“Thousands of years and you’re still fucked in the head,” Seth said as he cut more vines with his khopesh and used sand to trap and crush more. “Every time you try this, I’ve said no, and you refuse to listen!” He sounded furious.
“That was Ra talking,” Osiris insisted. “You know she twists everything!”
“I never needed Ra to tell me to stay away from you!” Seth said. He stomped down on a vine the size of his arm, splitting it in two. It made the sound of a split apple.
“There will be a reckoning for this, Osiris,” Horus said as he used his sword and wind to cut the vines. The lobby was slowly getting destroyed. “Maat and I will see to it.” And he imagined Isis would, as well.
“Seth, please,” Osiris said, ignoring him.
Horus didn’t feel snubbed, exactly. His father had never paid much attention to him. When Horus was younger, he’d wondered about his absent father, and even wished for something, some sign from the older god… but then years passed, and he felt abandoned. He knew he couldn’t do much in his weakened state, but he’d wished for anything… But Osiris, who sometimes contacted Isis sporadically, but never spoke to Horus, clearly didn’t care, and made Horus realize the person he had to think about was the one who’d stayed by him: Isis. And seeing Osiris in Heliopolis had shown him that Osiris viewed him as a pawn, not a son.
Horus knew his mother viewed him somewhat similarly, but he also knew she loved him, dearly. There had been only silence where Osiris was concerned, though. And a wall of vines attempting to sweet Horus and Seth apart.
Sand crocodiles rose up and bit through the vines, and Seth laughed as he said, “You’re an idiot, Osiris. And this is the best you can do?” He leapt into the air to crash down on vines closer to the central mass. “You just sent in one of your little underlings to try to entice me, and now you’re doing the same song and dance you’ve been failing with for all eternity?”
“He is weakening,” Horus said as they cut more plants apart. He didn’t like Seth constantly being forced to interact with Osiris. He felt like he’d failed in his goal of protecting his uncle. But he could at least feel the creature before them falling apart. Osiris wasn’t actually here, there was no way he could be. But whatever control he was using to appear was unraveling.
“Whatever dangerous weapon he has,” Seth said, “he hasn’t used it yet. Or it’s not enough for both of us.”
We need to end this, Horus thought as he worked closer to the heart of vines covering what used to be the human. All of this, despite how well they were doing, was a surprise. He didn’t want to deal with more surprises, particularly if one actually harmed Seth. He’d heard his mother’s stories about how Osiris beat Ra in the past…
“Honestly, Osiris, what is it going to take to get through your thick skull that I want nothing to do with you, and never have?” Seth stabbed into the thick mass of vines at the center of everything. Some vines flicked at his red hair, and Horus yanked them away with wind.
The vine mass made a desperate roar, but new vines were already falling down and dissolving.
Seth stepped back, yanking his khopesh out to let the vines leak green ichor. He avoided the ichor, and flicked his khopesh clean, letting it splash on the plants.
Horus walked to Seth’s side, looking around at it all, somewhat impressed at Osiris’ audacity, but depressed, too. It felt like such a waste for a powerful god. He’d heard his mother’s stories, and the stories of her followers. Osiris had once been beloved. And to fall so far…
“All this time,” Horus said, “he could have been helping the other gods, or humans. And he’s just been doing this?”
Seth nodded as they watched the mass try, badly, to reach for them. “He’s too desperate. Too trapped in his own foolish fantasies.”
“Seth…” Osiris begged again. “Please…”
“Oh fuck off,” Seth said. He wrapped his left arm around Horus’ back, surprising Horus. “I’ve never needed or wanted you. You ruined my life. And Nephthys’ life. And Isis’ life. And Anubis’ life. And Horus’ life, too.” He breathed in deeply. “The only thing you’ve been useful for is that Anubis is a good son, and I love him. And Horus?” He looked at Horus and his gaze seemed so suddenly vulnerable.
Horus smiled at him, grateful Seth was at his side. It was actually fun to fight with him this way. It was more than a practice bout, and less toxic than their battles during the trial.
“…I love him, too,” Seth said.
Horus’ eyes widened in surprise.
“What?!” Osiris demanded.
Seth grinned, showing his fangs at the shriveling mass. “He’s better in bed than you, too.”
Osiris howled and the whole mass of vines left reached for Seth and Horus… only to dissolve into dark dust. In their wake was left a dent against the wall and floor, and disturbing burn marks.
No humans appeared, at least.
“…Really?” Horus asked Seth, honestly curious and unable to consider anything else. “I’m… better in bed than him?”
Seth rolled his eyes and pulled away as he let his khopesh dissolve. “Do you honestly need to ask? He’s a rapist, that’s all. It’s almost more of an insult to you to make the comparison.” He seemed a bit embarrassed, though.
“So why say it?” Horus asked as they both surveyed the damage.
“Because I knew it would bother him,” Seth said, matter-of-factly. “And that would likely use up the last of his remaining power before he destroyed more of this place or was able to harm either of us.” He smirked. “I think he always hated Nephthys, because I loved her. It was something about the way he talked about my affection for her… Naturally, he’d hate you because I care about you.” He sighed as he looked around. “What a fucking mess…”
“And you really love me?” Horus asked, insisting on answers. They’d talked about it before, but… He wanted to know. He had to know.
Seth gazed up at him, his expression cooler than it had been. “I…” He breathed in deeply and scratched his neck. “Maybe? Yes. I…” He shook his head. “It felt easy to say before Osiris. So I don’t know why admitting it feels so hard now…”
Horus smiled, feeling hopeful, though he was less pleased Seth looked so distressed. “It almost seems more real, that you were able to tell someone else. I imagine Osiris isn’t happy down in Duat.”
Seth scoffed and said, “No, I don’t think he is.” He looked back up at Horus, his expression worried. “But I feel like I did you a disservice, using you that way, when I’m so muddled up like this…”
Horus dropped his sword, letting it dissolve, and reached out to wrap his arms around Seth, pulling him close. He gazed down into Seth’s bright red eyes, and traced the lines of Seth’s handsome face. Felt the firmness of Seth’s body against his. The way Seth fit so easily into his arms. “You did me no disservice. I’m glad.”
Seth huffed and then wrapped his arms around Horus. “Good, because we’re going to have to figure out how to clean this place up and investigate whatever else Osiris has up his sleeve. And a positive attitude helps.” It really did look like a disaster zone. And there would be a lot of explaining to cover things up.
Horus grinned, though, and said, “Maybe I need some more encouragement?” He would do whatever he had to, so long as Seth was with him.
Seth’s eyes widened for a moment, and then he shook his head, amused. “You’re ridiculous.” But he leaned up to kiss Horus’ lips.